Swinerton Renewable Energy is a division of Swinerton Builders that provides engineering, procurement, construction and monitoring of solar voltaic plants throughout North America. This new 24/7 facility hearkens back to ID Studio’s previous design of Swinerton Builders through similar raw interior architectural elements, but departs from that concept with a more modern and energizing material and furniture aesthetic. The focus throughout was to create a bright, comfortable and dynamic space for employees working long, sometimes overnight shifts.

ID Studios is growing and we are thrilled to announce the newest members of our team!ID Studios is growing and we are thrilled to announce the newest members of our team!

Prior to joining ID Studios, Michael McDonald was a Project Coordinator at Altevers Associates. With over 8 years in the industry and a depth of experience in large resort projects, Michael brings his talents to ID Studios by overseeing all phases of the design process. He received his BFA in Interior Design from Design Institute of San Diego in 2009 .

Michael and his wife have a beautiful 18 month old daughter named Ryan that they love to take to the zoo so she can talk to the animals! He follows the San Diego Padres, goes fishing in his spare time and has a cat named Fred and dog named Ginger.

Originally from Monterey, Dana Field realized Interior Design was her passion after getting a degree in Fine Arts from Westmont College in 2009. That next year she packed up and moved to San Diego to attend the Design Institute of San Diego. She loves the sunshine in San Diego and doesn’t ever want to leave. She considers herself an art fanatic! She enjoys visiting museums, galleries and lectures and The Getty is, “her favorite place in the world.” She spends weekend time exploring new coffee shops and breweries, reading a good murder mystery and paddle boarding.

We were first introduced to Dana when she came to us as an intern in 2014. After almost 3 years at Ware Malcomb, Dana returns to us as part of the many talented designers and architects in our studio.

“Clients need to optimize real estate.” says Elliott. “The cost of real estate is rising. As a result, offices are getting smaller and workstations are getting smaller. More collaborative and meeting spaces are needed due to the reduction of personal space. The topic of workplace trends and their relationship to floorcovering is interesting because today flooring is such an important part of our designs. We are using a variety of floorcovering materials to create those spaces, combining soft and hard surface.”

After 11 years in the same location, we were busting at the seams and needed to find a new home to inspire our designers and demonstrate our passion. We found it just down the street in a 5,000 s.f. open office mezzanine filled with natural light. The space is complete with roll up garage doors, operable skylights, collaboration areas and flexible work space. Next time you’re in the area, stop in and say hello.

Pictures of Lytx, an ID Studios project, were featured in Floor Focus’s February issue. Check it out!

CARPET TILE DESIGN
Over the last couple of decades, the carpet tile category has been moving and shaking: taking control of the corporate or workspace sector, gaining ground in education and, now, beginning to find its place in both healthcare and hospitality applications. What’s more, as Millennials increasingly make their impact on commercially designed workspaces, carpet tile is likely to find itself perfectly positioned. After all, what floorcovering product is more suited to the Millennial mindset than carpet tile: a modular and tactile product with substantial green and wellness story, inherent style and limitless capacity for customization.

JLL turned to ID Studios for its expertise in corporate workplace strategy & design when contemplating its new office location in San Diego. Designed with flexibility in mind, one of the most striking features in JLL’s new office is a retractable “sky wall” which, when open connects the boardroom to the lobby, providing enough open space for all hands meetings and events. With the café and adjacent outdoor deck just a few steps away, the space is also great for entertaining, teamwork, and collaboration. You can see more pictures HERE.

Shaynee McMillion joined ID Studios earlier this year as Senior Designer and Director of Client Relations. She shares her 20 years’ of experience with us through this post in our Designer Forum series.

Designing with Generations in Mind

Parallels of the Younger and Older Generations Impacting Interior Design

Industry experts project Millennials will become the strongest brand and consumer influencers since the Baby Boomer generation. As a Gen X designer, the approach to designed environments has changed as we take notice of the trends that present themselves from this younger generation. Together with designing for the Baby Boomers we discover interesting opportunities as these two generations converge in the Live-Work-Play arena.

The focus on trends that influence commercial design, specifically relating to workplace, and hospitality environments, should include the varied perspectives of how each generation experiences the spaces we create. The way Millennials interact with our spatial layouts, interior finishes and overall feel of a space is a source of ‘changing’ trends that directly impact the design needs of our clients. Just as important to track is the changing requirements of the baby boomer generation and how those changes impact interior design projects.

Creative Workplace

Home Away From Home

Millennials, since entering the work force, have been a driving force leading to a more creative workplace. The shift to open environments, more collaborative and casual work spaces are a result of this generation wanting to work differently. They have even more respect than previous generations for sustainable design, honest materials, clean air & natural light as part of their work life.

Retaining the Millennial employee is a key driver for our clients. Environments need to invoke feelings of being relaxed, comfortable & connected. Our designs should be current, fresh and support the interior environment with a perfect proportion of focus areas as well as flexible, casual and collaborative spaces. Incorporating amenities that break up the work day and support convenience while at work are all contributing factors that have changed our work life and helped employers retain the new generation of the work force.

As the Baby Boomer generation and Gen-Xers alike embrace the new trends, they can find themselves as the leaders in their businesses steering the design process for their teams. A new appreciation can develop as the changes in their workplace reflect a refreshing improvement to their former surroundings.

Sense of Community

Personal Space vs. Amenity Space

With flexible working arrangements and boundaries between live-work & play fading, Millennials are finding, with technology, they can do everything they want at home or anywhere else at the development where they may rent or own their place, just as long as technology is incorporated in the design. Millennials will compromise personal space for more amenities.

The millennial generation tops the Multi-family housing clientele, with Baby Boomers entering in at a growing number. Developers are honed into this and understand the importance of providing convenience to all of life’s necessities and comforts for a diverse range of generations sharing the property. Community spaces are viewed as an extension of the residents’ personal space. In general, the trend for amenity spaces incorporate a strong influence of hospitality type experiences into the design. Together with the connectivity Millennials crave, residents are ‘wowed’ with state-of-the-art gyms, hotel lobby type spaces with relaxed and social zones integrated.

As designers, we can look at these types of shared spaces and are able to create the appeal that will attract a variety of ages. The design should be inviting and refined, not fussy or over stylized and most of all comfortable.

Play & Leisure

Expectations are High

Work hours are long, productivity is fundamental but keeping a balance between play and work are critical to a Millennial. Of course other generations value this too…but to the millennial generation, they have entered the work place with more of this culture present. A work-life balance is reflected in today’s workplace design more than ever.

For most Baby Boomers, the Live-Work-Play attitude is changing to Live-Recharge-Play. They make up a large population of individuals who are traveling, frequenting restaurants and are a huge influence on the way our recreation and leisure spaces are designed.

There is so much variety and competition to entice where we spend our play and leisure time and our expectations are high. Not only is the aesthetic critical to attracting and making a great first impression, the focus on the millennial generation in design also has to do with social media habits. They are ‘checking in’ with everyone as they experience their restaurant, hotel or living space. In hospitality environments, if they ‘don’t like it’, or they ‘love it’, their social circle and potential new visitors to these businesses will be influenced through social media. As our hospitality clients well know, everyone with a smart phone is now a critic.

Millennials are used to having many options and they expect more from interior design. Being competitive while appealing to the range of generations requires the utmost care in the detail of how a space looks and feels while not making it so trendy that a more seasoned patron will feel out of their element. Remaining unique in the design, adding character with more refined elements combined with a sensitivity to the environment can appeal to the masses.

Kelsey Held joined ID Studios earlier in the year as a Senior Interior Designer. Since graduating from California State University, Long Beach she has worked for over six years in the corporate and hospitality realm in both San Diego and Los Angeles. Kelsey’s experience expands our knowledge base in those services. She joins us in our Designer Forum sharing Trends in the Workplace Today.

Trends in the Workplace Today

We’ve come a long way from the maze of dark corridors and rows of enclosed offices. Businesses these days thrive on collaboration and flexibility and the traditional way of planning just doesn’t work for most companies anymore. With the high cost of rent, we’re trying to fit more people in a space but we’re not willing to compromise comfort or productivity. When it comes to workplace design, the approach to designing office space has experienced some change.

1. OPEN PLANNING

Similar to urban planning, we’re creating a mini community! With open planning, we’re organizing employees into “pods” according to need. By creating zones for similar requirements, we’re eliminating many of the walls, making your space feel bigger. If you’re still craving a physical partition, spaces can be divided by low walls or movable screens which still maintain a level of privacy and light. Minimizing communication barriers creates support, connection, and collaboration.

2. FLEX SPACE

Flexibility allows you to get the best bang for your buck. It allows for growth, change, spontaneity, and creativity. Conference rooms that open up completely with folding or sliding doors help to create larger gathering spaces. You can have all-hands meetings or training sessions as well as group events. Mobile seating and screens can create space as needed for brainstorm sessions or less formal meetings… or they can serve as huddle spaces for quick touchdowns!

3. HOTELING

Less and less people are working at assigned desks. Some work remotely from home or on business trips and some people rarely report to an office at all, conducting much of their business in the field or on their phone. Having smaller “touchdown” desks for employees that aren’t in the office 5 days a week or 8 hours a day takes up less space and is more efficient. Another added benefit – it’s cleaner! People are essentially borrowing a desk, which reduces clutter and unnecessary mess.

4. PHONE BOOTHS

With employees not accustomed to open planning environments, the biggest concern you hear is about privacy when it comes to phone calls. A couple phone booths or small rooms sprinkled throughout the space alleviates that concern and only needs to be large enough for one or two people who need a place to “perch” for a while. A far stretch from the phone rooms that were designed 20 years ago, add a small counter or table with a chair and it can also serve as a touchdown spot for someone with a laptop!

5. ERGONOMICS

With changing technology and a variety of preferences when it comes to how people work, it’s not just about a good chair anymore. The biggest impact is a flexible work surface that allows for sitting as well as standing… and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune! More and more employees are demanding height adjustable desks and manufacturers across the board are coming up with their own version. Flexible furniture promotes good posture and movement throughout the day, which in turn promotes productivity. As a bonus, think about making a smaller conference table a standing table! This would be for shorter, impromptu meetings that are meant to be more interactive. Take it even further by making the top of the table a white board or other writeable surface… it gets people up and moving and keeps them awake!

6. FRESH AIR

We love fresh air in San Diego and we’re fortunate to have amazing weather nearly year-round to take advantage of it! If you’re lucky enough to have a space that can open up to the great outdoors, consider an operable, glass garage door that brings light in, even when it’s closed. Operable windows and folding doors go a long way… and if you’ve got a patio or roof space, create an area for outdoor meetings, team BBQ’s, or after-work happy hours!

7. PLAY

It may seem counterproductive to put a Kegerator, slide, or ping pong table in your office, but it can actually be quite the opposite! Having an outlet for employees allows them to burn off steam and enhances working relationships. It certainly improves mood and satisfaction, which can have a big impact on a team’s success.

So why do we strive for this new way of working? Because people and their overall sense of work/life balance matter. If there’s one thing that ALL of these trends strive to serve, it’s the employee, and thus the company as a whole. Today’s workplace is about creating an ecosystem. It’s an environment that stimulates minds, reduces stress, promotes health, strengthens relationships, and maximizes performance. Not all of these workplace trends will work for you or your office, but design strategy is a great place to start… and you may find that a little playtime mixed in makes a whole lot of sense!

Mary Ford is one of our newest designers. She began her career in Design as an intern at ID Studios. After five years away, Mary has now joined us as a full time Designer. Originally from Wisconsin, she graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in 2013 and is excited to permanently locate to San Diego with her one-year-old English Bulldog, Dexter. For this Designer Forum she would like to share with you:

5 Tips for Making your Break Room More Useful

Design is what I am passionate about and a major facet of design is functionality. The most successful designs are the ones that enhance the life of the end user by making things function more efficiently and maximizing the potential of the space. Break rooms are so important for our clients and their employees. A well planned break room will be used so much more than one that is just there for the sake of having a break room.

1. Make sure everything has a specific place to go and is organized so that the people using the break room can easily access everyday items.

2. Listen to your employee’s needs. It seems obvious but the key to making a break room more usable is to make sure people want to use it! Think coffee… water… snacks… etc.

3. Make sure there is enough space for a seating! Whether that means lounge seating, bar stools, dining tables.

4. Trash and Recycling! Making trash and recycling containers easily accessible and built into the cabinets not only gives a cleaner look but also allows for more floor space in the break room.

4. Use the correct size and quantity of appliances. One or two coffee machines? Under counter refrigerator drawers or a full sized refrigerator? These answers will depend on your employees and their needs.

A DESIGN TO REFLECT IDENTITY AND CULTURE

Lytx is a driver risk management company located in San Diego, California that creates safety-monitoring programs for 1,300 fleets across all major industries. In business since 1998, Lytx formerly operated under the name DriveCam; however, as their product offerings evolved, so did the company, necessitating a re-branding to bring their name, logo and corporate office design more in-line with their position as a trusted provider of cutting edge analytic software that makes drivers and roadways safer every day.

ID Studios, a Solana Beach, CA company specializing in workplace design, were awarded the bid to design Lytx new corporate headquarters. They had very specific goals in mind for their new offices:

Real wood flooring finds new life on the wall behind the reception desk

“Lytx wanted the design of their new corporate headquarters to reflect both their identity and culture as well as a design that would attract and retain employees and clients.”
— Jill Russell, Associate, Senior Designer at ID Studios

Before sitting down to design, ID Studios conducted an extensive visioning process to zero in on aspects of the company’s culture that could be integrated into the overall design. They found there were two central components defining Lytx: an established history of professionalism and trust within the industry combined with dynamic and forward-thinking creativity. ID Studios then set to work creating an interior design that combined these two elements into a cohesive whole.

“Throughout the interior, we reflected that cutting-edge, technology-driven environment while creating a connection to the familiar through materials like wood and stone.”
— Jill Russell, Associate, Senior Designer at ID Studios

PREMIUM WOOD PRINTS PROVIDES DURABILITY & FAMILIARITY

While ID Studios used wood and stone throughout the design of Lytx corporate headquarters, they determined that laminate was the ideal solution for high-traffic areas such as cafés and break rooms. Lamin-Art provided an outstanding product for this use.

Laminart laminate used on the high-use cabinets in the coffee bar area transitioned seamlessly from the natural ones.

“We wanted to move forward with a wood-look laminate that allowed us to create a connection to comfort and warmth; Lamin-Art was ideal for that. We could transition the look of natural wood to café and break areas with the performance level of laminate. It really fit the aesthetic and created a connection to the trustworthy and stable side of Lytx.”
— Jill Russell, Associate, Senior Designer at ID Studios

The realistic designs offered by Lamin-Art were a key selling point. “One of the nice things about Lamin-Art is the execution of their patterns and finishes. They’re really strong designs,” Jill says. “Their woodgrain patterns have the look of a quality wood finish.”

Lytx reaction to their new office design was uniformly positive from the highest level down to the workers who constructed the office. Lytx CEO, Brandon Nixon, who was closely involved throughout the design process, “The thoughtful environment that ID Studios has created will serve as a catalyst for even greater things to come for Lytx.”
Thanks to great feedback from both clients and contractors, ID Studios is enthusiastic about using Lamin-Art products again in their future projects.

“We frequently find that millworkers are pleased with Lamin-Art’s products.”

ID STUDIOS OVERVIEW

Specialty: Specializing in workplace design and strategic planning. ID Studios believes forward-thinking design strategies have the power to transform the way in which people work, learn and communicate with one another.